The Wanderer
by damsel0of0darkness
Summary: An outcast with a distrustful heart is accustomed to her nomadic freedom, until she finds herself on a new journey. One where she might just find a place to call home.


There was a fire... It was an uncontrollable blaze of heat, spreading from rafter and curtain to rug, wood and straw. Women and children screamed, trapped inside the building. Black smoke stung their eyes and intense heat seared their skin, as they quickly suffocated to death.

Azali's eyes shot open. She was breathing fast and unearthly cries echoed in her mind. It was just a dream, she realized, slowly adjusting to her current state of being. There was no fire, only total darkness. That was normal, except she couldn't hear the wind blowing against her tent.

She moved but solid chains were locked around her wrists and ankles. Something terrible happened to me while I was asleep.

The lockpick in her back pocket for emergencies was far out of reach. No sounds could be heard. The air was cold and thin; it was difficult to breathe. Where am I? Have I been left to die?

"Hello!" she cried out as loud as possible. There was no answer.

"Is anybody out there!" After waiting a minute the silence prevailed. I might as well keep screaming. There's no other way.

"Can you hear me! I'm trapped! I need help! Come get me out of these chains!"

Time passed and her throat became tight, sore and dry. It refused to project any more words.

What could have possibly happened? Or was this just a dream within a dream; a false awakening? There was no reason to believe she had enemies. Whoever brought her here had to be some lowlife criminal, and all because of them she could foresee nothing but dying, trapped in darkness. She pushed out thoughts of the current situation, letting them drift away.

Yesterday, she returned to her homeland on a religious pilgrimage and last night she camped alone in the desert. Where she was headed there weren't any people; it was a place to go only once. Leaving distant countries behind, she traveled across the wilderness into the stormy sands.

She wasn't this close to home since a rough childhood years ago. From what she could see, nothing had changed the unforgiving wasteland. In stifling heat, she instantly yearned for a cool climate but this did not worry her. Being a solitary nomad, she was experienced in surviving any conditions.

Approaching footsteps broke her out of her reverie. A door creaked open, and firelight glowed from a lantern held by a man cloaked in black. She watched him in horror as he placed the lantern on a table beside her. "Don't be frightened," he said ironically in a calming voice.

"What do you want from me?" she quickly asked.

"I want to know why you were traveling towards this very place," he replied. "As long as you answer my question, you have nothing to fear. At least, you will not be harmed."

"You mean...this is the Spirit Temple?"

"That is what it used to be ten years ago. Now it is a prison of the great Hylian Empire. Worshipping any deities other than the three Golden Goddesses is strictly forbidden. Did you come here to worship the Goddess of the Sands?"

"Why do you care what my religion is?"

"I don't care, the Empire does. I am simply a tool to be used at their disposal."

"Do you worship the Golden Goddesses?"

"I've never had a religion."

"Every race has a spiritual being that guides them. Surely you have been spoken to by one of them?"

"I cannot deny that, but I don't wish to follow their guidance. "

"Then why are you enforcing this law?"

"Because if I disobey orders, Hyrule will hunt me down…and you don't want to know what happens next."

"Really?" She couldn't believe a kingdom known for being good was actually cruel. And apparently he didn't want to be doing this. She knew all too well how it feels to be coerced. Her level of fear slightly lowered.

"Yes, it is true. Now answer my question. I did not bring you here to question me."

She probably needed to think of some kind of lie; anything to hide her belief, but there wasn't any other possible reason for coming to the Spirit Temple. She would just have to face whatever consequences he had in store for her. "Fine. It's quite obvious I came here to worship the Goddess of the Sands. So what are you going to do about it, coward? Torture me?"

"How did you ever guess?" he asked sarcastically. "Except I won't have to if you denounce your faith. Plus, if you do that I can also release you."

It was good to hear there was a way out of that, but the price wasn't something she wanted to pay if she could avoid it. "But how would Hyrule know if I keep my faith a secret and never return here?" she argued.

"There are others like me that will be watching you for quite some time. They will find out and recognize my betrayal."

"What happens to you then?"

"I don't wish to say…" he said quietly, staring down beneath them at the darkness. She knew then that this fear weighed heavily upon him and it was something perhaps even she should not question. After a moment of silence he looked up and said, "Now tell me, will you give up your faith?"

"What if I don't?" She wanted to make sure he was serious about torturing her.

"I will wait until you beg me for a drink of water. Do you wish to resist the temptation and achieve your death?"

He seemed serious enough and she wasn't willing to be tortured. Not over something she could afford to lose. However, she still had some cards left to play. "I am not a fool. The price is worth living with," she lied.

For a few seconds, he stared at her from beneath his hood. She could not see his face engulfed in shadows. Then he said, "You are not being honest with me."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because I used a spell that only hears the truth, and so far I have not heard anything."

"So just because you don't believe me you're not going to let me go?"

"That's right. Now tell me what I want to hear."

The Goddess of the Sands saved her from most desperate times. Traveling alone through dangerous lands had many risks and sometimes she could not survive without help. Living a more permanent lifestyle was possible, but she wouldn't give up that easily.

"Run away with me," she offered. "I'm a fighter and I can protect you."

"I can't take the risk. I told you, the penalty is unfathomable."

And so all her options ran out. She hadn't felt so oppressed in years. This was so unfair. She wasn't sure who to direct her anger at. He said he didn't have a choice and it was Hyrule giving him orders, but then why did he have this job in the first place? "Fine, I give up," she said. "Now will you let me out of here?"

"Certainly," he said, pulling out a key and unlocking her chains. Before she could get up he lifted her into his arms and said, "This torture chamber is dangerous to step through in the dark. There are traps for intruders. I will carry you safely outside."

"If you say so..." She didn't like being carried by this stranger, especially since he was the one who carried her off while she slept last night. Stepping on traps might be worse, but she wished he would bring a light in here so she could walk out herself.

He carefully stepped over to the door, not once losing his hold on her, and kicked it open. There wasn't much more light on the other side, so her eyes easily adjusted. He let her down and she finally stood free.

By the light of torches along the walls, his face was now somewhat visible; a face with features she had never seen before. For one, the strands of hair framing it were pure white despite his youthful skin, but most of all, his eyecolor was a vivid red. At first, she felt a bit scared but managed not to show it. Perhaps she wasn't so scared because her own appearance couldn't be considered normal. She inherited the bright red hair and golden eyes of the Gerudo, a desert-dwelling tribe. Her skin was darker than Shahmeer's. On the other hand, her taste in style was painfully dull. She wore thin, black clothing, including a long-sleeved shirt, pants, socks, and scarf. Wooden sandals were strapped to her feet.

"You're possessions are stored in the adjacent room," he said, going to open it's door. She followed him inside the small room. It was filled with shelves, chests, and racks containing supplies and perhaps other prisoners' belongings. A window on the back wall showed a view of the desert. The sun was still rising. Seeing that again was a relief, considering it was proof she was alive.

He pointed to her things, including a tent, bedroll, canteen, backpack, and dagger. She also had a glaive, which was a polearm with a blade socketed to one end; something common among farmers, who loved to convert their tools into them. One could never carry too many weapons in the wilderness where many monsters liked to ambush travelers.

"I have been tasked with leading you a short distance away from the prison," he said. "So I might as well introduce myself properly. I am Shahmeer of the Sheikah tribe. You can tell me your name if you like."

"It's Azali," she said. "I've never heard of the Sheikah."

"That is to be expected. Knowledge of our existence is mostly kept secret from everyone save the royal family of Hyrule. We are sworn to protect them and enforce their laws.

"Now Azali, before you follow me outside just know that there are others like me we will pass by. Don't try speaking to them because they will only ignore you. If you have anymore questions you can ask me."

"I have a question: why didn't you wake me up after kidnapping me?" she asked, wanting to know exactly why he had been so inconsiderate. And he had better have a good reason.

"Because if a captured prisoner is still asleep, I am ordered to wait until they wake up on their own and stop screaming for help," he answered drily.

If the experience hadn't already scarred her for life, she might have laughed at this ironic humor in it. "Then I guess it's my fault for being a heavy sleeper…"

He said nothing else on the matter, so she decided to ask one more question. "Were you forced to have this job?"

He seemed surprised by the question, unlike before. "Why do you care about me after all the trouble I've caused you?"

"Because I ran away from home long ago, and I know how it feels to be stuck living with people that couldn't care less about you."

"I see. Well, the answer is yes and no. Signing up for this job at the start of the war was a mistake; I wasn't told it would be more than guarding the prisoners. I was young and foolish, not a seasoned veteran of the Great War like most soldiers."

"That's terrible." Now it made sense not to blame him. He was being oppressed just as much as she was. Either she walked away to her new stationary life right now (which she wasn't too excited about), or did something selfless and maybe a bit dangerous. "Even though you say it's impossible, you want to run away from here, don't you? There's got to be something I can do to help."

"No, it wouldn't be right. Hyrule is at war with the Gerudos and you are one of them. Not only have I slain your kind in battle, I have tortured and executed them as well. Where have you been all this time that you would not know this?"

"I didn't know… I haven't been in Hyrule since I left," she said, confused. She might have felt sad or angry if she had any love for them at all, but that had died the day she left. If Shahmeer was involved in this war, was he on the good or bad side? And did he want to be fighting? She wasn't sure if she could trust him. "Why are they at war?" she asked first.

"Ten years ago the new king of the Gerudos, Ganondorf, decided he wanted to start another war over the Triforce just after the Great War had ended. He led them into battle until he was finally captured and executed by the Six Sages here. Yet the war only weakened down to a rebellion because Hyrule had cut off all trade relations with them, and as a result the Gerudos continued to steal and raid extensively."

She was shocked. She might have expected the Gerudos to be at fault, but not Ganondorf. Just how far in the dark was she? She only knew him as an unruly teenager who was sick of being trained and tutored a thousand times harder than she was. Most of all, he was the only real friend she ever had, before she ran away that is. She may have been a child at the time, but she looked up to him and they shared their unhappiness. This Triforce...so it was the cause of the Great War and this war as well? She thought the Great War was just a century long conflict between every race. "What is this Triforce that drove him to invade Hyrule?"

"It is a powerful item from the Golden Goddesses that the royal family of Hyrule and Sheikahs are always trying to keep access to a secret, except always fail to. The only reason I'm telling you of its existence is because I don't deem you a threat, but I can tell you no more of it."

It must have been pretty powerful to start so many wars. She hated to think that Ganondorf probably killed innocent people over it. Since he was dead, she would never get all the answers to his descent into evil. The fact was depressing, so she saved it to mull over later. Pulling herself together, she asked her next question. "Are you fighting in this war because you want to, or because you're forced to?"

Once again he was surprised by her behavior. He expected her to hate him, or at least fear him. "Defending my homeland I can agree with," he said, "but forcing the enemy into submission I cannot. There must be another solution."

Hearing that was a relief. He wasn't bad after all. "Let me help you. I don't care what you've done to the Gerudos. I'm not really one of them."

"I suppose that's true, considering you've been gone all this time. You clearly have no attachments to them. Otherwise, I would feel too guilty to accept your help."

"Then tell me something I can do."

"There is a superior I could ask permission to quit my service, but she is far from here in Hyrule Castle. Her name is Impa and she protects the princess, but the Hylian commander here won't allow me to go. I would ask you to go in my stead, but I can't think of a way you could gain her audience."

"Maybe if I find someone that can, they will help me get her attention?"

"I wish I could think of someone like that, but it has been a long time since I set foot in Hyrule Castle and I knew few people there."

"I'll find someone and then you'll be free, just wait."

There was a small glint of hope in his eyes. She had stirred something within him that didn't exist before. Then he said, "The odds of you finding someone willing to speak to you are unlikely with current hostilities towards Gerudos. You need a disguise. Something I can help you with."

"And how would you do that?"

"I have been taught a variety of spells, one of which temporarily alters the visible appearance of any chosen subject; whether it be a person or even the floor we are standing on. However, you will not be able to see the difference, only other people will. It will last as long as I choose it to upon casting the spell."

"Sounds like a good idea."

"Let's wait until we have left the prison, so that you don't confuse the guards."

Azali's tent, made of two sticks and a large cloth, was folded up and tied to her backpack. Her bedroll was also strapped above it. She put this on, and attached her canteen and dagger to her belt. Then she picked up her glaive. Remembering how thirsty she was, she drank a long swig of water.

"Go ahead and lead me outside so I can catch a glimpse of your people," she said.

"Okay, just don't give them any challenging looks. Sometimes they can be a bit edgy."

Azali followed Shahmeer through the prison. Her spiritual journey here turned out quite differently than planned. If anyone, she would have expected to run into a Gerudo, not a mysterious race she had never heard of. At least that was better than suffering any repercussions from her past.

As they walked through the hallways, the torches danced along the walls. Her thoughts recollected the nightmare she forgot. She did not normally have bad dreams. Why after all these years would she dream of her people, and of them dying no less? It didn't make any sense. She did not believe in visions or omens, so she shoved it off as nothing more than an oddity brought on by being kidnapped in her sleep.

They passed by a Sheikah woman guarding the exit of the prison. She wore black leather armor and had two daggers strapped to her belt. Her white hair was tied up in a tight bun, and her sharp red eyes watched as if Azali was a wild beast that could strike at any moment. Azali struggled to look away, disturbed by her nervous stare.

Shahmeer pushed open the heavy door and they walked outside into the desert. The door closed shut behind them from its own weight. A Hylian soldier stood nearby, looking out for any approaching enemies in the distance. He wore light clothing to thwart off the heat of the day. No one wore armor in the desert as long as the sun shined, so he would be on equal ground with any Gerudo warrior. His brown hair ruffled in the wind that blew across the sands and he had the pale skin of every Hylian. He wore a sword sheathed on his back. He did not turn to look at them, too busy keeping watch for intruders rather than anyone escaping.

Azali turned around to see the exterior of what was once the temple. Above two columns framing the entrance still stood a giant statue of the Goddess of the Sands. If Hyrule hated her so much, Azali figured they simply didn't have the time to tear her down. The goddess's serene face brought back a long forgotten memory.

Twelve years ago at only eight years old, Azali ran away from home. She headed west of Hyrule where no Gerudo would ever think to search. Without carrying enough water she was not fated to last in the desert. After three days of walking it still stretched out beyond her. Her water supply ran out and the heated middle of the day dried her body to the core. Soon to pass out and die, she lost all hope of survival.

Until the Goddess of the Sands appeared before her. She was the most beautiful woman Azali had ever seen, clothed in a flowing white gown. Her hair, eyes, and skin were the same colors as the Gerudo. "Don't give up yet, my child," she said endearingly, her voice more beautiful than her appearance. "You were already so close to the oasis ahead. I will breathe new life into you so you can make it there."

She embraced Azali in her arms and a golden light shone from her. Azali felt her pain fade and all her energy return. She was no longer dying.

"Now go and have faith," said the goddess, disappearing in a sparkle of lights.

"Azali?" called Shahmeer, breaking her out of the daydream. She blinked a few times and turned away from the statue. "Are you alright?"

A great feeling of loneliness overcame her. Her feet felt like they were nailed to the ground and she hesitated to leave. "Please, I just need one moment...to say goodbye," she said softly.

"Just a minute," he replied, glancing nervously at the ignorant Hylian.

She faced the statue again and closed her eyes. The goddess was more than just an object of worship to her; she was like the mother she never had. Except the first time she spoke to her was the only time she ever appeared to her. She yearned to feel her warm embrace once again, but now she knew that was never destined to happen. Even though I can never speak to you again, please never stop protecting me, she prayed. The goddess's face seemed to smile down understandingly.

Shahmeer grasped her shoulder and said, "We must go now."

She turned back towards him and saw the Hylian guard giving her a disapproving glare. Not wanting to get Shahmeer in trouble, she followed him further into the desert. The familiar heat of the sun surrounded her in waves, causing her to slowly forget about the goddess. She put on gloves from her pockets and pulled her scarf over her head. Exposing any skin at all was not an option. Shahmeer was fully shielded by his cloak.

After walking a distance from the prison, he stopped her and said, "This is as far as I can take you. May I cast the spell now as promised?"

"Yes, of course," she said. "What will I look like?"

"Pointed ears, brown hair, blue eyes, and white skin would probably be best to pass as Hylian, don't you think?"

"Quite."

"Then allow me," he said, placing his hand upon her forehead. After a few seconds, dark shadows loomed across her body. She observed this, feeling uneasy. Why does his magic look so sinister?

He let go and the shadows quickly dissipated. From what she could see, her appearance had not changed. "It worked," he said. "You look exactly as I described. Except as I mentioned before, you can't see it; only others can, like me."

"Oh, that's right..." She really hoped that was true. Otherwise, she would be in a lot of danger.

"I'm sorry if I scared you. Sheikah magic isn't unicorns and rainbows. Usually, this one is for setting deadly traps. I've never cast it for something good."

She smiled at that. He could be rather funny at times, even though he wasn't trying to be. "It's fine. I trust you."

"Why? One of the first things I ever said to you was a lie."

"I know, but I'm not your prisoner anymore. And it seems you value honesty. I can trust you now."

"You read me like a book. Honesty does mean a lot to me, since there aren't many times I can use it in my work. If you trust me, I promise never to lie to you again."

"Thanks. I won't lie to you again either."

He smiled back faintly, as if it was something he could only do in far off memories. Sadness seemed to veil whatever happiness he possessed. Then that smile faded and he said, "About the spell, it will erase itself whenever you are ready. And be careful. It may protect you from Hylians but not from your own kind. If a Gerudo spots you, they will surely rob you of everything you carry, including what you need to survive. They are not like you remember; they are merciless now."

"Oh don't worry about me. I have a few tricks up my sleeve if anyone tries something like that," she said mischievously.

"Maybe, but most Gerudos don't travel alone. They will outnumber you."

"Don't worry. They won't lay a finger on me, I promise."

"I'm just making sure you're not the reckless type. If anything were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself."

Those words...she heard them once. The night she ran away from home. They warmed her heart the same way. Having returned to this land, she was remembering a lot from her past.

As she remembered, her child self had just sneaked through the gate to the desert when a deep voice asked, "You're leaving?"

She froze in her tracks, not expecting to be caught. "Are you going to stop me?"

"You know I wouldn't," said the young Ganondorf. "It was written all over your face today that you were ready to bolt, so I wanted to see if my suspicions were true. You could have at least said goodbye."

She turned around and said, "I'm sorry. I need to go now before someone finds out."

"Then take this." He walked over and handed her a golden necklace with a ruby in the center. "I enchanted it with a wind barrier spell. It will protect you from harm."

"Thanks." She put it around her neck. As part of his training, Ganondorf learned all kinds of magic.

"If anything were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself." He spoke kindly, like he was being thoughtful to a small child. The deadness in her heart felt brought to life. No one ever cared about her and he had never said so. It was unusual for him to say such things, but it made no difference. She had to leave.

"Goodbye."

Thinking on this memory, the present Azali held her hand around the necklace she still wore. Whenever she was in danger, it's magic was her last resort. No doubt it would expire with overuse.

"You're spacing out again," Shahmeer observed. "Was it something I said?"

"Yes, you reminded me of a childhood friend."

"I only said that because you're doing this for a person you just met, so it would be my fault of course."

"I understand what you mean, but I don't want you to blame yourself if I get hurt. You seem sad enough as it is."

He sighed. "You're probably right… Well, I guess this is goodbye."

"Yes, it is..." she said, gazing back at the distant prison. It was then that she noticed six spires towered behind it. She pointed at them and asked, "What are those?"

He looked at what she was seeing. "That is part of an atrium built to hold a magic item guarded by the Six Sages. The sages are people chosen to guard access to the Triforce, but for some reason they are guarding something else. I'm afraid I can't tell you more since that is all I know."

The Six Sages...he also said that they were the ones who executed Ganondorf. She wondered if knowing what this magical item was would be of any importance to her, but didn't see any reason to try. "I guess it doesn't concern me."

"Might be best not to know."

Ready to start her journey, she started walking towards Hyrule field. "Wait!" he called out, tugging her arm.

She stopped and turned around. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry...for everything." His sad eyes locked with hers, pleading for forgiveness.

"There's no need to apologize. It's not your fault."

"But that's not how I feel. If there's anything I can do to pay for it, I will."

"I won't make you do that either."

"I'll do it anyway." His guilt seemed to derive more from other memories and it ran deep. He did mention feeling guilty once, but now she could see it was the greater cause of his sadness than lack of freedom.

"If that makes you happy, I'll think of something."

"Thanks."

She smiled and said, "That means I'll return for you."

"If that's how you want to meet again, I guess it does."

"Then its settled. You wait for me and I'll be back before you know it."

He blushed slightly, embarrassed by her words. "Um, okay."

"Can I go now?"

"Yes, thank you."

She left him there for the last time. "Take care, Azali," he said, as her figure faded into the desert.


End file.
